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SERMON, 

PREACHED 

JT  BRISTOL,  IN  RHODE  ISLAND, 

JULY  9TH,  1808, 
AT  THE  FUNERAL  OF  THE 

Hon.  WILLIAM  BRADFORD,  Esq. 


BY  ALEXANDER  V.  GRISWOLD, 

R<aorcfSu  Michel* $  Church  inBriftoU 

BRISTOL  : 

printed  by  golden  dearth. 
j8o8. 


A  SERMON,  ^c. 


BEFORE  we  proceed  to  the  lafl  duty  which  is  to  clofe 
this  mournful  fcene — before  we  confign  to  the  manfions  of 
the  dead  the  lifelefs  remains  of  our  venerable  and  much  re- 
fpe«5led  friend,  I  am  requefted  to  offer  a  few  obfervations  on 
the  intereding  occafion.  Could  the  obfervations  be  equally 
intereding  as  the  occafion,  and  do  jullice  to  the  fubje£t ; 
could  I  exprefs  in  words  the  folemn  truths — the  tender 
feelings — the  momentous  confiderations  of  temporal  and  e- 
ternal  concern  which  the  fiient  eloquence  of  mortality  is 
now  impreffmg  upon  every  ferious  mind,  the  following  re- 
marks would  unqueftionably  merit  your  profoundeft  atten- 
tion.  But  this  you  are  not  to  expeci:.  Too  foon  will  you 
have  reafon  to  regret  that  this  painful  office  was  not  alfigned 
to  one  poiTefling  talents  and  leifure  {a)  and  a  gift  of  utter- 
ance more  adequate  to  the  magnitude  of  the  dutv. 

But  let  us  not  fail  on  this  and  on  every  occafion  to  re- 
member, that  our  truft  is  not  in  human  wifdom  or  an  arm 
offlefh.  God  alone  is  the  true  fource  of  comfort  and  con- 
folation — of  aid  and  fupport  in  every  forrow — in  every  tri- 
al of  this  prefent  life.  In  his  name,  and  by  his  authority, 
give  me  leave  to  invite  your  attention  to  the  counfels  of  his 
holy  word.     Hoping  and  trufling  that,  through  his  bleliing, 

(a J  During  the  Jl:fort  time  he  had  to  prepare  ihs  difcourje^ 
Mr.  G.  was  engaged  in  a  public  fchooL 


4  A  SERMON. 

it  maybe  the  means  of  fome  folace  and  inflruf\lon  to  thofe 
who  feel  interefled  in  the  mournful  event  which  has  call- 
ed us  together,  I  fliall  commend  to  your  ferious  medita- 
tions a  pafl'age  of  the  facred   fcriptures   found   ia 

GENESIS  xLix.   29—31. 

And  he  charged  them  and /aid  unto  thenu  I  am  to  be  gathered 
unto  tny  people :  bury  me  with  my  fathers  in  the  cave  that 
ix  in  the  f  eld  of  Ephron  the  Hittitc  ;  in  the  cave  that  is  in 
the  field  of  Machp^lah^  vuhich  is  before  Mamre,  in  the  land 
of  Canaan,  which  Abraham  bought  with  the  field  of  Ephron 
the  Hit  lite  for  a  pofpjjion  of  a  burying  place*  There  they 
buried  Abraham  and  Sarah  his  wife  ;  there  they  buried  J/aac 
a?id  Rtbecca  his  wife^  and  there  I  buried  Leah. 


THESE,  you  will  no  doubt  recollecV,  are  the  dying 
words  of  the  patriarch  Jacob.  Ia  difcourfmg  from  them 
I  propofe, 

First,  To  make  a  few  remarks  upon  the  hidorical 
faQs  with  which  they  are  connected.     And, 

Secondly,  To  fpeak  of  that  faith  which  they  evince. 

I.  In  the  chapter  before  us  we  are  prefented  with  one 
of  the  mofl  afFeding — the  moft  interefting  fcenes  which  the 
heart  of  man  is  called  to  experience  in  this  mortal  (late  : 
a  numerous  family  of  children  and  grand-children  alTc^mbied  Pi 
around  the  dying  bed  of  an  aged,  a  venerable,  and  only 
fuTviving  parent,  receiving  his  blelfing,  and  taking  a  laft 
adieu.  Jacob  was  in  the  line  of  God's  chofen  race,  "  of 
whom,  as  concerning  the  flefli,  Chrifl  came,  who  is  over 
;>11,  God  blciVed  for  ever.**  He  was  the  laft  central  head 
fiom  whom  all  the  tribes  of  Ifrael  fprang.  It  was  the  exprefs 
promife  of  God  to  Abrahatn  his  grandfather,  that  his  pofter- 
ity  fliould  poirtrfs  the  land  of  Canaan  :  but  firfl  they  were  to 
be  in  bondage  four  hundred  years.  "  The  gifts  and  calling 
of  God  are  without  repentance.*'  His  purpofe  cannot  be 
fruitrated.  By  a  levere  famine,  preceded  and  accompanied 
with   many   wonderful  and  proviucutial  ^^vents,  Jacob  and 


A  SERMON.  J 

his  whole  family  were  called  down  to  Egypt,  and  there 
fettled  in  peace  and  profperity. 

But  no  felicity  on  earth  is  perfedt,  or  of  long  continu- 
ance. A  mournful  event  is  now  to  difcompofe  their  tran- 
quility, and  wound  their  hearts  with  forrow.  One  parent 
was  yet  left  to  the  fons  of  Jacob.  The  bread,  from  which 
they  had  drawn  the  dreams  of  life,  had  mingled  with  its 
native  dufl.  The  maternal  eye,  which  had  watched  over 
their  childhood,  was  long  fince  clofed  by  the  hand  of  death. 
One  kind — one  venerable  parent  was  dill  left  them.  Long, 
to  their  great  comfort  and  happinefs,  was  his  life  preferved. 
But  there  is  a  period  to  every  earthly  blefling.  The  dread- 
ed moment  now  drew  near  :  Jacob  was  the  fird  ro  mark 
his  own  approaching  diffolution.  He  notified  his  children 
that  his  end  approached,  and  wifhed  them  to  attend  and 
hear  his  dying  words. 

And  now  behold  them,  bathed  in  tears,  aflembled  around 
the  bed  of  iheir  dying  parent,  marking,  with  extreme  anxi- 
ety, and  heart-piercing  anguidi,  his  gradual  decay.  Hi«J 
mental  powers  however,  to  iheir  great  comfort  and  indruc- 
tion,  were  continued  till  life  expired.  Having,  by  the  fpirit 
of  prophecy,  informed  his  fons  of  what  ftiould  befall  their 
refpedive  poderities  in  remote  generations,  "  and  bleded 
them  every  one  according  to  his  blefling,"  which  God  had 
appointed,  he  charged  and  direded  them  refpeding  hisl)ur- 
ial,  as  you  have  heard  in  the  words  read  for  our  text.  He 
enjoined  it  upon  them  to  bury  him  with  his  fathers,  in  the 
land  of  Canaan,  where  Abraham  and  Sarah,  Ifaac  and  Re- 
becca, and  his  own  wife  Leah  flept  in  their  graves.  "  And 
when  Jacob  had  made  an  end  of  commanding  his  fons,  he 
gathered  up  his  feet  into  the  bed,  and  yielded  up  the  ghod."" 

For  fome  time,  no  doubt,  had  the  family  of  Jacob  antici- 
pated  this  mournful  event.  But  how  incd'eiSlual  are  all  our 
anticipations,  and  fortitude,  and  refolutions  to  prepare  the 
heart  to  behold  unmoved  a  beloved  friend  expire.  There 
is  fomething  in  the  idea  of  life,  even  to  the  lad  gafp  of  ex- 
piring  nature,  which  folaces  the  foul,  and  bids  us  hope. 
When  this  is  gone — when  the  cold  hand  of  death  has  feized 
the  heart  and  chilled  its  vital  dreams,  new  horrors  fill  the 
fympathifing  foul.  Great  was  the  didrefs  of  Jacob's  child- 
ren to  fee  him  die.     Jofeph  was  overcome  wiih  anguidi. 


6  A  SERMON. 

That  kind  parent  who  had  been  fo  long  the  flay — the  hope 
—  the  glory  of"  their  family  ;  who  had  been  their  guiirdian 
and  protcdor  from  earlieft  childhood  ;  whofe  kind  parental 
care  and  prudent  counlels  they  had  ever  refpeded,  almoft  to 
adoration,  was  now  no  more  than  lifeltfs  clay.  I'hofe  hands, 
which  fo  c.f:  had  adminiitered  to  their  relief,  could  move  no 
mere.  Thofe  lips  fo  late — fo  long  the  fountain  of  wifdom, 
were  clofed  in  eternal  lilence.  Ihe  eye,  that  beamed  with 
li^iit  and  glory,  is  veiled  in  total  darknefs. 

But  even  the  lifelefs  body,  pale,  emaciated  and  worn  a- 
way  with  age  and  ficknefs,  is  dill  fomc  melancholy  con- 
foiation  to  the  mourning  furvivor.  The  features,  though 
awfully  changed,  dill  retain  a  refemblancecf  what  they  were, 
and  paint  to  the  memory  the  living  friend.  Hence  the  great 
dtfire,  fo  long  as  decency  will  admit,  to  delay  the  interment 
c-f  the  dead.  The  Egyptians  had  an  art,  peculiar  to  them» 
fclves,  ofpreferving  dead  bodies  from  putrefaQion  by  drugs 
and  fplces,  which  is  called  embalming.  Even  to  the  pre- 
diit  day  are  found  bodies  entire  which  have  doubtlefs  been, 
iuT  thoufaiids  of  ytars,  configned  to  the  mandons  of  death. 
'*  Jodph  commanded  the  phydcians  his  fervants  to  embalm 
his  father,  and  the  phydcians  embalmed  Ifrael.**  By  this 
r.^.eans  for  many  weeks  they  kept  his  body  in  Fgypt,  and 
mourned  over  it  ro  lefs  than  three  fcore  and  ten  days. 

ifut  of  this  melancholy  indulgence  they  mud  now  be 
(JeprivL-d.  They  now  prepare  for  the  lad  mod  folemn  duty. 
Ail  the  houfe  of  jofeph  and  his  brethren  and  his  father's 
Ir  ufe  (only  their  little  ones  ''  excepted,  who  were  too  young 
to  know  their  loTs  or  feel  its  forrows,)  accompanied  alfo 
vith  many  Egyptians,  making  together,  "  a  very  great  com- 
pany,'* wt^nt  up  to  the  land  of  Canaan.  Here  the  foun- 
tains  of  foirow  were  opened  afrelh.  Here  was  the  mod 
l)ainful  and  heart-trying  fcene.  Even  the  lifelefs  body — the 
lad  fad  memorial  ai'  their  venerable  dre,  mud  now  be 
raviflied  from  their  eyes  and  conligned  to  the  dark  manfions 
uf  the  grave.  For  no  Ids  than  fcven  days  of  unceadng  la- 
mentation did  ihcy  pour  forth  the  agony  of  their  fouls,  be- 
f'Te  they  cnuld  bring  ihcii  hca:ts  to  take  the  lad  adieu. 
''The  inhabitants  of  the  land,  the  Canaanites,  faw  the  mourn- 
ing"  aiul  I'oticed  the  extremity  of  their  forrow,  and  *'  they 
laid,  'lliii  is  a  grieve  us  mcuining  to  the  Egyptians. 


A  SERMON.  7 

Thus  was  the  dying  requefl:  of  Jacob  faithfully  obferved. 
And  now,  when  this  company  was  about  to  return — when 
fpread  over  the  burying  ground  and  taking  a  lad  view  of 
the  tombs  of  their  anceftors,  what  intereftinc^,  what  deep  and 
mournful  refledions,  mud  crowd  upon  their  minds  1  They 
walk  in  penfive  grief  from  grave  to  grave,  abforbed  in 
contemplation,  deeply  revolving  the  tranfitory — the  mortal 
flate  of  man.  Many,  with  anxious  folicitude  and  trembling 
fleps,  trace  out  the  fpot  where  fleeps  fome  friend  in  death. 
The  melting  heart  o*erflows  with  fad  remembrance,  and 
waters,  with  falling  tears,  the  filent  clods,  where  earthly 
forrows  ceafe.  With  breathlefs  attention  they  contemplate 
the  tombs  of  the  Patriarchs.  Here  Ifaac  was  b.  ried  : 
and  there  Rebecca  by  his  fide. — And  in  yon  confpicuous 
fpot,  where  the  grafs  is  waving  to  the  wind,  fleeps  the  ven- 
erable dud  of  their  father  Abraham,  whofe  name  (hall  de- 
fcend,  and  whcfe  faith  and  virtues  fhall  Ihine  through  re- 
moteft  periods  of  future  time. 

II.  Such  is  the  fenfe  of  what  the  facred  penman  informs 
us  of  the  death  and  interment  of  Ifrael.  Let  us  now  brief- 
ly confider  what  we  learn  of  his  faith  :  "  knowing  this  fird, 
that  no  prophecy  of  fcripture  is  of  any  private  interpreta- 
tion ;"  it  is  not  the  accidental  thought  or  conjedure  of  a 
mere  private  man  ;  but  a  predidicn  of  the  Lord  Jehovah 
concerning  the  whole  race  of  mortal,  fmful  man.  "  For  the 
prophecy  came  not  in  old  time,  by  the  will  of  man  ;  but  ho- 
ly men  of  God  fpake  as  they  were  moved  by  the  Holy 
Ghod/*  By  fuch  infpiration  did  Jacob  fpeak  on  his  dying 
bed.  "  By  faith  Ifaac  bleffed  Jacob  and  Efau  concerning 
things  to  come.  By  faith  Jacob,  when  he  was  dying,  bleff- 
ed both  the  fons  of  Jofeph,  and  wordiipped,  leaning  upon  the 
top  of  his  dafF."  In  that  pofition,  being  too  weak  to  kneel,  he 
adored  and  glorified  God  for  thofe  mercies  and  blefTings, 
which,  by  the  fpirit  of  prophecy,  and  the  eye  of  faith,  he  faw 
afar  off.  "  And  he  bleffed  Jofeph  and  faid,  God,  before 
whom  my  fathers,  Abraham  and  Ifaac  did  walk — the  God 
which  fed  me  all  my  life  unto  this  day — the  Angel  (mean- 
ing dill  the  fame  God)  which  redee?Jied  me  from  all  evil,  blefs 
the  lads,  (the  two  fons  of  Jofeph,  Ephraim  and  Manaffeh) 
and  let  my  name  be  named  on  them  and  the  name  of  my  fa- 


8  A  SERMON. 

thcrs,  Abraham  and  Ifaac  ;"  let  them  be  two  tribes,  "and  let 
thsin  grow  into  a  muhitude  in  the  midft  of  the  earth." 

Wonderful  are  the  many  predictions  which  he  uttered  with 
his  dying  breath  to  his  Hftening  family,  recorded  in  the  chap- 
ter before  us,  and  the  one  preceeding,  afFording  a  reafona- 
ble  r.nd  fatisfa6lory  evidence  of  the  truth  of  revelation. 
Thefe  predidions  could  not  have  been  by  Mofes  accommo- 
dated to  the  events ;  for  many  ot  them  were  to  happen  hun- 
dreds of  years  after  Mofes  himfelf  was  dead.  Ihey  indeed 
comprife  the  whole  future  hidory  of  the  Jewifh  nation.  A- 
niong  many  other  things,  he  foretold  the  pretminence  of 
Ephraim  above  Manafleh,  and  the  fceptre  or  regal  power  of 
Judali  which  fiiould  not  become  extind  till  Chrifl  (hould 
come.  Since  his  advent  they  have  no  king  or  kingdom,  but 
the  Mefllah's,  and  no  territory  without  the  pale  of  his  church. 
'i  o  chri^ians  it  may  be  truly  faid,  *'  All  things  are  yours,  and 
yeare  Chrid's,  and  Chrifl  is  God's :"  for  "  all  things  work 
together  for  good  to  thofe  who  love  him."  *'  The  fceptre 
fiiall  not  depart  from  Judah,  nor  a  law  giver  from  betweea 
his  feet  until  Shiloh  come  ;  and  unto  him  fhall  the  gathering 
of  the  people  be.**  In  brief  (for  our  fubjed  does  not  re- 
quire us  to  dwell  on  this  point)  '•  it  is  undeniable  that  c- 
vents,  even  unto  this  day,  after  more  than  three  thoufand 
years,  have,  with  aftonifiiing  exaclnefs,  correfpondcd  to  his 
predidions,  in  a  manner  which  no  human  fagacity  could 
have  forfeen  :  which  indeed  no  man  could  ever  have  con- 
ceived." 

In  his  blefTmg  on  Jofeph's  children,  Jacob  noficfs  the 
fource  of  his  own  confolation  ;  he  was  "  redeemed  from  all 
evil."  He  believed  and  trufted  in  the  merits  of  a  Saviour  ; 
he  knew  like  Job  that  his  "  Redeemer  lived,  and  that  he 
fliould  (land  at  the  latter  day  upon  the  earth."  He  had 
ivaited^  as  he  (dySj  for  the  salvation  of  the  J.ord^  and  beholding 
it  now  he  departs  in  peace.  "  By  faith  he  f(^j  )urned  in  the 
land  of  promife  as  in  a  llrange  country,  dwelling  in  taberna- 
cles with  Abraham  and  Ifaac,  an  heir  with  them  of  the 
fame  promife,"  and  lookin^^  like  them,  *'  for  a  cifv  which  hath 
foundations  ;  whofe  builder  and  maker  is  God."  In  tefli- 
inony  oa  his  faith  in  the  promifes  of  God,  that  the  land  of 
(""anaan  fliould  yet  be  pofTeil  by  his  polKrity,  he  commands 
that  his  body  (hould  be  carried  up  to  that  country,  and  buri- 


A  SERMON.  9 

cd  in  the  ground  which  Abraham,  by  the  fame  faith,  had 
bought.  By  this  fame  faith  Jofeph  too,  as  recorded  ia 
the  next  chapter,  "  when  he  died,  made  mention  of  the  de- 
parting of  the  children  of  Ifrael,  and  gave  commandment 
concerning  his  bones."  *'  And  Jofeph  faid  unto  his  breth- 
ren, I  die,  and  God  will  furely  vifit  you,  and  bring  you  out 
of  this  land,  unto  the  land  which  he  fware  to  Abraham,  to 
Ifaac  and  to  Jacob.  And  Jofeph  took  an  oath  of  the  chil- 
dren of  Ifrael,  faying,  God  will  furely  vifit  you,  and  you 
fhall  carry  up  my  bones  from  hence."  "  Thefe  all  died 
in  faith,  not  having  received  the  promifes,  but  having  feen 
them  afar  off,  and  were  perfuaded  of  them,  and  embraced 
them,  and  confeiTed  that  they  were  ftrangers  and  pilgrims  on 
the  earth. — They  defire  abetter  country,  that  is  an  heav- 
enly ;  wherefore  God  is  not  afhamed  to  be  called  their  God  : 
for  he  haih  provided  for  them  a  city."(^) 

"  All  thefe  things  were  written  for  our  example"  ;  and 
their  literal  accompliffiment  to  the  feed  of  Abraham  is  intend- 
ed to  (Irengthen  our  faich  in  thefe  glorious  promifes.  The 
wonderful  and  miraculous  deliverance  of  Ifrael  from  bond- 
age in  Egypt  is  a  (trong  reprefentation  of  the  redemption  that 
is  in  Jefus  Chrift.  A  land  of  Canaan — a  promifed  reft  has  he 
prepared  for  the  righteous  in  another  world.  How  great  a 
bleffing  did  the  patriarchs  conceive  it  to  be  in  the  line  of  this 
inheritance!  Infinitely  greater  is  the  blefling  in  its  fpiritual 
fenfe.  Abraham  is  the  common  father  of  all  true  believers 
in  the  promifes  of  God  ;  and  they  who  have  his  faith  are 
counted  for  the  feed.  Like  Jacob  it  is  the  duty  of  each  of  us 
to  wait  for  God's  falvation,  in  the  way  of  his  appointment ; 
to  repofe  firm  confidence  in  the  truths  of  his  word,  and  fhew 
our  faith  by  our  works :  to  wreftle  and  feek  and  ftrive  for  aa 
interefl  in  that  "eledion  of  grace"  which  is  in  Jefus  Chrifl, 
and  to  "  give  diligence  to  make  our  calling  and  elcdion 
fure."  It  is  our  duty,  and  it  would  be  our  wifdom  to  give 
the  utmofl  diligence  to  obtain,  through  his  merciful  goodnefs, 
and  by  the  means  which  he  has  appointed,  a  ftedfafl  lively 
faith  and  full  affurance  of  hope  in  thofe  glorious  promifes 
revealed  in  his  gofpel  of  falvation. 

(a)  Gen.  l.  24,  25.     Hcb.  xi.  13 — 22. 

B. 


lo  A  SERMON. 

This  fubjecl,  In  its  general  application,  is  hi^^hly  impor- 
tant, and  to  do  it  judice,  we  oii^ht  to  purfue  it.  Further 
inferences  however  will  be  fub:nittcd  to  your  own  reflections, 
while  your  attention  is  invited  to  a  few  words  of  improvement 
from  v.hat  has  been  faid,  more  efpecially  applicable  to  the 
prefent  occafion. 

I.  Our  thoughts  were  firft  led  to  fome  remarks  upon 
the  hiflorical  h{^f^,  with  which  the  text  is  connected.  And 
fiirely  you  need  not  be  told  how  obvioufly  applicable  the 
the  moll  of  them  arc  to  the  forrowful  event  which  has  call- 
ed us  to  this  houfe,  and  the  painful  duty  which  now  remains 
for  us  to  p(;rform.  Nor  will  any  further  apology  be  requir- 
ed for  having  dwelt  on  that  head  more  minutely,  than  might 
otherwife  have  been  expected.  Thofe  venerable  remains 
which  lie  before  our  eyes  ;  various  circumftances  of  his 
life — his  family — his  ficknefs  and  death,  intereft  our  hearts 
in  the  death  of  Jacob  and  the  mourning  of  his  family,  and 
prepare  them,  1  hope  and  truft,  to  profit  by  the  inflrudioa 
given  us  in  that  part  of  facred  hiflory. 

Funeral  characters  we  know  are  often  exceptionable,  "  as 
exhibliing  an  aflemblage  of  virtues'* — an  indifcriminate  eu- 
logy, ''  the  portrait  of  partiality — the  child  of  fancy,"  with 
li'.tle  refemblance  to  the  original.  It  fliould  teach  us  cau- 
tion but  notinjuflice  :  it  fhould  not  induce  us  to  withhold 
a  tribute  of  refpect  juflly  due  to  charaQers  of  eminent  dif- 
tlnction.  The  man  who  has  been  exemplary  in  any,  though 
but  ail  ordinary  (taiion  of  life,  is  entitled  to  the  praife  and 
grateful  remembrance  of  every  furvivor.  But  where  one  has 
been  diftinguidied  by  eminent  talents,  and  a  long  and  fteady 
courfe  of  active  and  ufeful  life  ;  has  tilled  many  public  of- 
fices of  high  trull  and  importance,  with  much  honour  tohim- 
fclf  and  benefit  to  fociety,  and  in  all  the  various  duties  and 
relations  of  profcllional — of  civil,  focial  and  domeftic  life, 
has  uniformly  fupported  the  chara^^er  of  jultice — of  patriot- 
ifm,  inlegiiiy  and  benevolence, — *'  to  fuller  fuch  a  one  to 
dr(^p  unnoticed  from  the  fccne** — to  quit  the  flage  of  life 
without  a  plaudit,  **  would  be  criminal  ingratitude." 

To  enter  minutely  into  the  history  and  charader  of  the 
deceafed  would  not  be  an  unpleafant,  though  to  dojuflice  to 
the  fubject  might  be  an  arduous  talk.     Underltanding  how- 


A  SERMON.  u 

ever  that  this  taflv  has  been  afTigned  to  another,  (a)  it  is 
judged  inexpedient  to  anticipate  the  fabjccl.  And  is  it  ne- 
ceflary  thati  fhould  fpeak  on  the  fubje^t  to  an  audience  bet- 
ter  acquinted  with  it  than  myfelf  ?  You  know  his  manner 
of  life.  I  fpeak  to  thofe  who  are  not  (trangers  to  his  hide- 
ry  or  his  chara£ler — to  thofe  whofe  hearts  are  deeply  im- 
prefled  with  a  fenfe  of  his  virtues.  Many  of  you  (Hll  re- 
member the  high  and  important  ftation  he  filled,  and  the 
character  hefultained  during  the  arduous  conflict  of  the  rev- 
olutionary war,  and  how  very  much  he  contributed,  by  his 
example  and  activity,  to  obtain  and  fecure  that  liberty  and 
independence  which  we  now  fo  happily  enjoy.  Where,  on 
this  fide  the  grave,  will  you  find  another  whof::  fervices 
were  more  effentially  important  during  that  intereiling  peri- 
od ?  You  now  enjoy,  and  we  trull  in  God  your  poflerity 
will  continue  to  enjoy,  for  many  generations,  the  glorious 
fruits  of  his  public  labours.  You  have  alfo  feen  him  fitting  in 
the  Councils  of  the  Nation,  a  Senator  of  the  United  States,  af- 
fifling  to  regulate  and  manage  the  concerns  of  a  vafl  empire. 
In  this  State  you  have  feen  him  a  principal  magilbate.  Many 
years  has  he  been  adively  and  ufefully  employed  in  various 
honourable  branches  of  profeflional  bufinefs,  in  which  he  was 
bleiled  with  profperity ;  and  his  benevolence  has  rendered 
that  profperity  a  blefTmg  to  many  others.  In  him  the  poor 
have  found  a  friend,  equally  able  and  willing  to  relieve  their 
wants.  Oft  have  they  tafted  the  bounty  of  his  liberal  hand, 
without  knowing  to  whom,  under  God,  they  were  indebted 
for  the  favour.  May  God,  who  is  able,  fupply  their  lofs  in 
his  death,  by  raifing  up  others  to  imitate  his  virtues. 

A  rich  man,  with  a  good  heart,  is  furely  one  of  the  greateft 
blefilngs  which  God  fends  on  the  earth.  And  though,  as  the 
facred  fcriptures  often  and  folemnly  forewarn  us,  temporal 
riches  are  a  fnare  and  temptation  which  too  naturally  cor- 
rupt the  heart  and  endanger  the  foul;  yet  the  virtue, 
which  efcapes  the  fnare  and  refills  the  temptation,  fhines 
with    peculiar  luftre.     How  eminently  the    deceafcd  is    en- 

CaJ  The  sermon  was  to  have  been  followed  hy  an  oration 
end  eulogy  on  the  character  and  history  of  Gov,  Bradford, 
which  unfortunately  failed  through  the  indisps  lion  of  the  gentle- 
man  appointed  to  deliver  it. 


12  A  SERMON. 

titled  to  this  piaife  you  are  not  now  to  be  informed.  Yoa 
have  feen  him  in  public — you  have  feen  hirn  in  private  life. 
And  you  fee  him  now  a  Hfelefs  corpfc.  The  active  limbs 
vhich  fo  long  have  ferved  his  country  and  blefied  his  friends  ; 
the  tongue  to  uhich  Judges  and  Senators  have  liflened  with 
pleafure  and  inQru(ftion ;  thofe  hands  which  fo  oft  have  ad- 
miniflered  medicine  to  the  fick,  and  to  the  poor  relief,  are 
now  returning  to  their  kindred  dull — *'  earth  to  earth  ;  afli- 
€s  to  adies/*  Here  is  a  funeral  chara£ler  in  which  all  are 
deeply  concerned.  "  The  days  of  our  age  are  three  fcore 
years  and  ten."  Labour  and  forrow  are  the  uuial — death  the 
certain  portion  of  thofe  who  furvive  them.  So  foon  does 
life  pafs  away  :  fo  foon  our  earthly  hopes  are  gone.  The 
life  of  man,  even  the  longed,  is  but  (liort  :  in  time  Ms  but  a 
fpan — in  eternity  a  point.  Jacob  after  living  one  hundred 
and  thirty  years,  fay5^,  "  Few  and  evil  have  the  days  o^  the 
years  of  my  life  been."  "  Man  walketh  in  a  vain  fh-^w— 
he  heapeth  up  riches  and  cannot  tell  who  fhall  gather  them.'* 
Day  follows  day  and  year  comes  after  year  in  quick  fuccef- 
lion,  like  waves  on  the  ocean,  "  till  one  more  fatal  fweeps  us 
to  the  grave." 

If  we  confidcr  however  the  ordinary  period  of  human 
life,  we  may  obferve,  with  pleafing  fatisfadion,  and  with 
gratitude  to  the  Father  of  mercies,  that  the  worthy  charac- 
ter, whofe  death  we  mourn,  lived  to  a  good  old  age.  For 
the  great  comfort  and  happinefs  of  his  friends  and  beloved 
family  ;  for  the  bcnent  of  fociety  and  an  example  to  the 
world,  his  life  has  been  prefervcd  beyond  the  ordinary  age 
of  man,  and  he  is  almofl  {a)  numbered  among  thofe  hv7^ 
*'  who  are  fo  (Irong  that  tht'y  come  to  fourfcore  years.'* 
Like  Jacob's  alfo  his  reafon  and  other  mental  powers  were 
prefervcd  in  perfection  till  the  lall  :  his  mind,  like  the  itU 
ting  fun,  appeared  in  greater  magnitude,  and  cloathed  with 
new  and  milder  l)eautits.  With  unlhaken  fortitude,  and 
wonderful  compofure  of  mind,  he  viewed  the  gradual  ap- 
proach of  the  King  of  Teirors:  and,  with  pleafure  we  may 
;idd,  that  he  freely  anJ  moll  cordially  acknowedged  his  full 
anil  undoubting  faith  in  God,  and  the  truth  of  divine  revela- 
tion, and  humbly  and  devoutly  looked  for  life  and  falvation 

(a)  He  was  in  bis  Soth  year. 


A  SERMON.  i$ 

to  that  blelTed  fource  alone,  from  whence  Jacob  drew  his 
confolation.  He  confignshis  mortal  body  to  the  tomb,  be- 
fide  the  fleeping  duft  of  his  once  loved  confort,  in  the  af- 
furance  of  hope  that  God  will  vifit  his  people,  and  deliver 
them  from  the  bondage  of  death — that  "  the  dead  fhall  hear 
the  voice  of  the  fonof  God,  and  they  who  hear  fhall  live.'* 

2.  And  now  it  remains  for  us,  refpeded  audience,  to  per- 
form this  laft — this  painful  duty.  Like  the  family  of  Jacob, 
you  are  now  to  bear  the  lifelefs  remains  of  this  father  in  If- 
rael,  to  that  "field**  of  death  appointed  for  all  living. 
You  are  now  to  vifit  that  ftorehoule  of  human  clay  where 
the  remains  of  your  anceftors  fleep  in  death  :  where  the 
mofl  of  you  have  parents — have  children — have  wives  or 
hufbands — have  brothers — have  fillers  repofing  beneath  the 
filent  clods.  While  you  pay  the  tribute  of  tears  at  their 
graves  ;  while  you  furvey  the  gjround  appointed  for  your  fu- 
ture habitation  ;  while  you  aflifl:  our  mourning  friends  in 
depofiting  what  remains  of  their  venerable  parent  in  the 
grave,  and  fympathize  in  their  diflrefs  in  taking  the  laft  a- 
dieu,  forget  not,  I  befeech  you,  the  divine  confolations  of 
your  Father  who  is  in  heaven.  Forget  not  then  the  proper 
improvement  ol  the  foregoing  obfervations.  Lift  up  your 
hearts  to  God,  looking  unto  Jefus,  the  author  and  finifher 
of  your  faith.  "  Come  and  fee  the  place  where  the  Lord 
lay.**  View  the  grave  as  the  fan6lified  receptacle  of  [(^ed 
*'  fown  in  corruption,"  to  be  "  raifed  in  incorruption — fown 
a  natural  body,'*  to  be  "  raifed  a  fpiritual  body,"  through 
the  power  of  him,  who  has  burft  the  bars  of  death,  and  led 
captivity  captive.  With  the  faith  of  Ifrael,  look  forward  to 
that  glorious  day  when  God  Ihall  vifit  and  ledeem  his  peo- 
ple ; — when  he  fhall  bring  them  forth  from  diftant  lands — 
from  North  and  South  and  Wefl  and  Eaff,  to  fit  down  ia 
his  heavenly  kingdom  v/ith  Abraham,  Ifaac  and  Jacob — in 
thofe  eternal  manfions  of  peace  and  felicity  prepared  for  the 
righteous.  Now,  in  a  time  accepted,  devote  yourftlves  to 
God  in  a  holy  life.  Strive  with  Jacob  that  you  may  be  nam- 
ed of  Ifrael,  and  of  the  feed  of  Abraham  according  to  prom- 
ife.  Walt  for  God's  salvation  in  the  way  of  his  own  appoint- 
ment, and  you  may  fecurely  rely  upon  it  in  every  event  of 
his  providence.     For  you  to  Hve   will  be  Chrift :   his  pre^ 


14  A  SERMON. 

fence  will  be  with  you ;  his  example  will  lead,  and  his  fpir- 
h  fupport  you.  And  to  die  will  be  pain  ;  for  henceforth 
there  is  laid  up  for  you  a  crown  of  righteoufnefs,  which  the 
Lord,  the  righteous  judge  fhall  give  to  you  and  all  who  love 
and  wait  for  his  appearing. 

To  you,  beloved  and  much  refpe^ted  friends,  whofe 
hearts  are  more  nearly  interefted  in  this  mournful  fcene — to 
you  the  children  and  grand  children  of  the  deceafed,  is  our 
i'ubjecl  at  this  time  moit  applicable.  Like  the  family  of  Ja- 
cob, you  are  called  to  a  "  grievous  mourning."  For  though, 
like  them,  you  have  received  from  the  deceafed  every  thing 
which  children  and  grand  children  can  expecl  from  an  earth- 
ly parent,  the  mourning  is  not  for  that  the  less  grievous  :  the 
lofs  is  the  more  affllding  :  the  feparation  the  more  painful. 

There  are  none  I  prefume  here  who  feel  unintereft ed  ia 
the  caufe  of  your  forrows  :  there  is  no  heart  prefent  which 
does  not  fympathize  in  your  diilrefs.  I  furely,  from  heart- 
feeling  experience,  can  teflify  of  one  who  has  loft  a  friend. 
While  vital  warmth  fiiall  animate  this  feeble  frame  ;  while 
memory  fhall  retain  its  grateful  powers,  a  fenfe  of  his  good- 
nefs,  1  trufl,  will  not  be  obliterated  from  my  mind.  What 
then  muft  be  the  affections — what  the  gratitude  of  thofe  who 
have  much  longer  experienced  his  amiable  and  benevolent 
virtues  ;  and  chiefly  of  you,  refpeded  mourners,  who  have 
been  the  more  immediite  objeds  of  his  affedion  and  tendereft 
care.  I  would  not  call  your  forrows  up  afrefh,  by  dwelling 
on  this  fubject.  His  care — his  labour  on  earth  has  ceafed. 
He  has  left  you  and  the  world,  and  is  "  gathered  to  his  fa- 
thers" in  a  good  old  age.  His  fplrit  we  leave  in  the  hands 
of  a  merciful  God  and  faithful  Creator.  His  body  you  arc 
now  called  to  refign  to  its  native  duff.  May  God  mercifully 
give  you  the  faith  and  confolation  of  Ifrael,  and  flrengthen 
and  fupport  you  witli  the  power  of  his  grace  in  the  difcharge 
of  this  laft  duty  to  your  parent.  May  you  behold  the  grave 
as  the  place  where  the  Lord  Jefus  lay,  nothing  doubting  but 
the  time  is  fafl  approaching,  when  "  the  earth  and  the  fea 
fhall  give  up  their  dead,  and  the  corruptible  bodies  of  thofe 
who  lleep  in  the  Lord  (hall  be  changed  and  made  like  unto 
his  own  glorious  body,  according  to  the  mighty  working 
whereby  he  is  able  to  fubdus  ail  things  unto  himfelf." 


A  SERMON.  15 

Sorrow  not  then  as  others  who  have  no  hope.  Long  fhall 
the  memory  of  your  father  live  in  the  annals  of  fame,  and  in 
the  hearts  of  a  grateful  people,  embalmed  by  the  prayers  of 
widows  and  tears  of  orphans.  While  we  depofit  thcfe  ven- 
erable remains,  befide  the  fleeping  dufl  of  your  other  long 
departed  parent,  let  a  grateful  fenfe  of  all  God's  pad  and 
prefent  mercies  comfort  your  hearts  and  lift  them  up  to  him. 
Devote  yourfelves  to  God,  that  he  m.ay  blefs  and  profper  you 
and  yours,  and  make  you  a  blefling  to  your  country  and  the 
world  for  many  generations.  Improve  this  awakening  call 
to  a  ferious  confideration  of  your  own  approaching  diflblu- 
tion.  Lay  hold  of  thofe  bleffed  hopes  of  immortal  life 
which  God  has  given  us  in  our  Saviour  Jefus  Chrift,  that 
you  may  have  an  unfailing  fupport  in  all  the  varying  fcenes 
of  this  mortal  ftate,  and  finally  die  the  death  of  the  right- 
eous, and  your  laO;  end  be  like  his. 

Let  us  all,  as  far  as  in  us  lies,  make  every  fuitable  im- 
provement of  the  folemn  duties  of  this  day.  Let  us  cherifli 
the  memory  of  the  deceafed  :  let  us  imitate  his  virtues,  and 
not  fail,  from  this  inftance  of  mortality,  to  realize  the  uncer- 
tainty of  all  terreftrial  things,  and  feek  for  an  unfading  in- 
tereft  in  the  glories  of  the  eternal  world  ;  that  when,  as  foon 
it  mud,  the  time  of  our  departure  draweth  near,  we  may 
have  God's  Spirit  go  along  with  us,  and  give  us  reft  eternal 
in  heaven. 

That  fuch  may  be  the  happy  portion  of  us  all,  Gnd 

of  his  infinite  mercy  grant ;    to  whom,   "  the 

King  eternal,  immortal,  invifible,  the  only 

wife  God,  be  honour  and  glory   forever  and 

ever.    Amen.'* 


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